[meteorite-list] Apollo 11 lunar fragment on eBay

From: Joseph Hum <jkarlhum_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:47:05 2004
Message-ID: <412001113723939730_at_earthlink.net>

Howdy All,

Apart from the quirk where the Smithsonian sold a "bag" with lunar dust;
and the woman whos husband worked for NASA and received a few "crumbs and
"dust"
in a presentation case for his retirement( the FBI confiscated this
material only
to "make" an exception and return it, due to enormous public outcry) it is
ILLEGAL
to privately own or sell APOLLO material, period... It is "public"
property,considered
a national treasure, and rightly so... However, had not lunar meteorites
become
"publically" available in the late 90's; we should have had some specimens
available
for collectors, most folks could give a hoot... Even though the
distribution details
would be problematic, it should have been done, in my humble view of
things...
Or at least legal to own, once distribution details could be worked out...

Anyone?

Best Regards,
Karl





> [Original Message]
> From: Walter Branch <waltbranch_at_earthlink.net>
> To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Date: 11/6/01 9:05:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Apollo 11 lunar fragment on eBay
>
> Hello List,
>
> Of course, this is not really a sample brought back by Apollo 11. Given
the
> total cost of the Apollo program, McSween estimates that NASA spent
> $60,000/gram to bring back a few hundred kilos of lunar material. This
> "lunar basalt" is 96 "earth" grams. I seriously doubt that NASA would
place
> 5.7 million dollars of "lunar basalt" in a cheap $1.00 plastic display
cube
> then loan it out as an educators kit!
>
> At best, its an imitation.
>
> Indeed, if you read the description carefully, nowhere does the seller
> actually state that this is a moon rock brought back by the crew of Apollo
> 11. It is implied, but not explicitly stated.
>
> Take it for what the seller says it is . . . "This is a very unique
object:
> a black rock fragment mounted inside a small plastic case..."
>
> And that's all.
>
> I love the use of the term "very unique." If "unique" mean (literally)
one
> of a kind, what exactly does "very unique" mean?
>
> -Walter
> -----------------------------------------------
> Walter Branch, Ph.D.
> Branch Meteorites
> 322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B
> Savannah, GA 31405 USA
> www.branchmeteorites.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matteo Chinellato" <mcomemeteorite2000_at_yahoo.it>
> To: "Charlie" <moonrock25_at_webtv.net>;
<meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 8:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Apollo 11 lunar fragment on eBay
>
>
> > Anf the price only $25????
> >
> > Matteo
> >
> > --- Charlie <moonrock25_at_webtv.net> wrote:
> > > Dear list members:
> > >
> > > I've a feeling this is very real, but will no doubt
> > > be cancelled by
> > > eBay. Listing is described as part of a former
> > > educator's kit, and
> > > consists of a 96 g fragment of basalt in plexiglass
> > > mounted on a plaque.
> > > Specimen is numbered 10022.
> > > Plaque reads "NASA, Johnson Spacecraft Center,
> > > Houston, Texas". Base of
> > > plaque describes Apollo 11 mission and the nature of
> > > lunar basalt.
> > >
> > >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/EbayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1029263728
> > >
> > > Best wishes,
> > > Charlie Devine
> > >
> > >
> > > Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief
> > > Fund -
> > >
> >
>
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> 56648
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> > =====
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> >
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56648
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Received on Tue 06 Nov 2001 09:39:39 PM PST